Malabu Oil Suit Put off Till July 5
Alex Enumah
The Federal High Court in Abuja has deferred hearing in a legal action instituted by Malabu Oil against the federal government on the ownership of the Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 otherwise known as Malabu Oil till July 5.
The celebrated law suit involving mainly multinational oil companies was stopped by Justice John Tsoho in Abuja yesterday following the inability of the plaintiffs to serve court processes on one of the major defendants in the suit, Shell Exploration Company.
When the matter was mentioned, counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Joseph Achimugu, apologised to the court that proceedings would not be able to go on as scheduled as Shell was only served with the processes this morning (yesterday). He informed the court that Professor Kanyinsola Ajayi (SAN) had graciously accepted the service of the processes in the open court but needed time to respond.
He therefore pleaded with the court for an adjournment to enable the defendant file his response.
Lead counsel to the defendant, Prof. Ajayi, did not object to the request for an adjournment but however added that all counsel who had been served had filed their preliminary objection.
Justice Tsoho consequently fixed July 5 for hearing of the preliminary objections.
Some stakeholders in Malabu Oil had dragged the federal government, Shell, Agip and seven others to court over the alleged illegal transfer of their stakes in the Oil Prospecting Licence (OPS) 245 otherwise known as Malabu Oil to unauthorised persons.
The stakeholders, which include Malabu oil, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Ahmed and Pecos Energy Limited, as 1st to 3rd plaintiffs respectively in the suit are challenging what it claimed to be illegal divestment of their shares in the OPS 245.
Others sued alongside the federal government and the two giant oil firms are Mr. Kweku Amafegha, Munamuna Seidougha, Amaran Joseph, CAC, AGF, Petroleum Minister, and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
In the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/ CS/506/2017 and filed at the Federal High Court Abuja, the plaintiffs are seeking “A declaration that the 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs jointly hold seventy percent (70 percent) shareholding in the equity of the 1st plaintiff.
Critical stakeholders in Malabu Oil and Gas, including Mohammed Sanni Abacha, in a bid to reclaim ownership of the OPL 245 filed a suit against the government at the Federal High Court.